Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Costa Mesa, CA and Memphis, TN

For one person, living is cheaper in Memphis, TN: $2,501 a month against $3,959 in Costa Mesa, CA, rent and utilities included – about $17,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

192

Cost of Living Index in Costa Mesa, CA
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Costa Mesa, CA Living Index
122

Cost of Living Index in Memphis, TN
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Memphis, TN Living Index

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Costa Mesa, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,959

/mo nomad

Memphis, TN

🇺🇸 United States

$2,501

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Costa Mesa, CA and in Memphis, TN

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Costa Mesa, CA and in Memphis, TN actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,959 per month in Costa Mesa, CA vs $2,501 in Memphis, TN, rent included.

Costa Mesa, CA $3,959
Memphis, TN $2,501

A couple spends around $5,540 per month in Costa Mesa, CA vs $3,673 in Memphis, TN, rent included.

Costa Mesa, CA $5,540
Memphis, TN $3,673

A family of three spends $7,121 per month in Costa Mesa, CA vs $4,844 in Memphis, TN, rent included.

Costa Mesa, CA $7,121
Memphis, TN $4,844

Costa Mesa, CA costs about 58% more than Memphis, TN, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Costa Mesa, CA and Memphis, TN sit above the global median – Costa Mesa, CA by 193%, Memphis, TN by 85%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.85 $19.85

$17.99 $17.99

10.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.6 $78.6

$74.5 $74.5

5.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.90 $14.90

$12.16 $12.16

22.53%

Cappuccino

$5.59 $5.59

$5.68 $5.68

-1.58%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 $3.40

$2.40 $2.40

41.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$1.99 $1.99

25.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.32 $7.32

$7.12 $7.12

2.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.73 $9.73

$8.03 $8.03

21.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$0.94 $0.94

19.15%

White Bread (500g)

$4.01 $4.01

$3.15 $3.15

27.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.69 $4.69

$3.96 $3.96

18.43%

Eggs

$5.09 $5.09

$3.77 $3.77

35.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.82 $12.82

$13.18 $13.18

-2.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$20.19 $20.19

$11.45 $11.45

76.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.58 $21.58

$18.84 $18.84

14.54%

Apples (1kg)

$5.01 $5.01

$5.67 $5.67

-11.64%

Banana (1kg)

$2.48 $2.48

$1.71 $1.71

45.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.53 $4.53

$5.71 $5.71

-20.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.80 $5.80

$4.98 $4.98

16.47%

Potato (1kg)

$4.53 $4.53

$3.14 $3.14

44.27%

Onion (1kg)

$2.32 $2.32

$4.17 $4.17

-44.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.16 $2.16

$2.64 $2.64

-18.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 $1.90

$2.16 $2.16

-12.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.60 $11.60

$10.87 $10.87

6.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.06 $15.06

$12.94 $12.94

16.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 $2.01

$1.76 $1.76

14.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.18 $4.18

$1.60 $1.60

161.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.02 $1.02

91.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$69.9 $69.9

$38.55 $38.55

81.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 $6.10

$2.02 $2.02

201.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 $1.41

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.36 $20.36

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 $1.47

$1.02 $1.02

44.12%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$37.2K $37.2K

$37.3K $37.3K

-0.38%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$25.6K $25.6K

$27.1K $27.1K

-5.59%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$218 $218

$187 $187

16.28%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$68.5 $68.5

$86.3 $86.3

-20.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.5 $71.5

$75.8 $75.8

-5.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.81 $39.81

$31.47 $31.47

26.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.21 $12.21

$16.62 $16.62

-26.53%

Cinema Ticket

$16.67 $16.67

$14.76 $14.76

12.94%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,196 $1,196

$1,720 $1,720

-30.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.8K $24.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.1 $57.1

$47.08 $47.08

21.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.38 $47.38

$33.58 $33.58

41.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.2 $93.2

$82.2 $82.2

13.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 $128

$156 $156

-17.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,726 $2,726

$1,448 $1,448

88.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,467 $2,467

$1,175 $1,175

109.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,187 $4,187

$2,073 $2,073

102.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,833 $3,833

$1,900 $1,900

101.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,284 $9,284

$1,755 $1,755

428.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,077 $7,077

$1,351 $1,351

423.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,286 $6,286

$3,523 $3,523

78.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.39

6.6

-3.18%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Costa Mesa, CA: October 13, 2026

Last update for Memphis, TN: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Costa Mesa, CA

$2.5K 62.3%

Memphis, TN

$1.2K 47% 52.4% $1.3K

Groceries & Markets

Costa Mesa, CA

$480 12.1%

Memphis, TN

$404 16.1% 15.9% $76

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Costa Mesa, CA

$358 9%

Memphis, TN

$349 14% 2.4% $8.4

Eating Out

Costa Mesa, CA

$350 8.9%

Memphis, TN

$318 12.7% 9.3% $33

Clothing & Footwear

Costa Mesa, CA

$147 3.7%

Memphis, TN

$143 5.7% 2.3% $3.4

Getting Around

Costa Mesa, CA

$84 * 2.1%

Memphis, TN

$52 2.1% 38.3% $32

Sport & Entertainment

Costa Mesa, CA

$73 1.9%

Memphis, TN

$61 2.4% 16.6% $12

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,726 in Costa Mesa, CA versus $1,448 in Memphis, TN. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 78% higher in Costa Mesa, CA, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $79.0 in Costa Mesa, CA versus $74.0 in Memphis, TN. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $480 vs $404 – making Memphis, TN the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Costa Mesa, CA

🇺🇸 Memphis, TN

🕒 Local time

13:30 1:30 PM

15:30 3:30 PM

2 h ahead of Costa Mesa, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

109,960

633,104

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Costa Mesa, CA Memphis, TN 2,550 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Costa Mesa, CA
Memphis, TN

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Costa Mesa, CA vs Memphis, TN: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Costa Mesa, CA costs about 58% more than Memphis, TN, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,938 per month in Costa Mesa, CA and $3,752 in Memphis, TN. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Memphis, TN, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 19% more in Costa Mesa, CA, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $79.0 in Costa Mesa, CA and $74.0 in Memphis, TN. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,959 in Costa Mesa, CA and $2,501 in Memphis, TN. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Memphis, TN costs $2,501 versus $3,959 in Costa Mesa, CA. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Memphis, TN. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Costa Mesa, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.